The Making of Severus Snape
by SilverFangedWolf
Summary: After Lily Evans ended her friendship with Severus Snape, he begins to fill the void with a new life.
1. Chapter 1

"I can't pretend anymore. You've chosen your way, I've chosen mine."

"No—listen, I didn't mean—"

"—to call me Mudblood? But you call everyone of my birth Mudblood, Severus. Why should I be any different?"

He struggled on the verge of speech, but with a contemptuous look, she turned and climbed back through the portrait hole.

She was looking at him from a dark corner, watching as tears rolled down his pale face. Tears streamed down her face as she hastily brushed them away; she knew how much Severus loved Lily.

"She doesn't understand," the girl spoke suddenly walking up to the boy, who quickly wiped away his tears. "She doesn't know how much you love her."

"It's none of your business," he retorted cruelly, before asking, "And why are you crying?"

"I feel the same way you do, Snape. I know you probably don't believe me, but I understand what you're feeling right now," she explained, tears still running down her face. "You love her so much, but she doesn't love you back. In fact, she probably dislikes you a lot right now."

"She doesn't understand…" his voice trailed off.

They stood in silence for a moment; Snape composing himself, and the strange girl wiping her unrelenting tears away. He looked at her with pity on his face. He would not have wished the same pain he felt on that girl.

"So, you're in Slytherin," he stated, trying to get her to stop her crying. It was getting a little annoying, even for him.

"Oh?" she was lost in her own little world. Snapping back into reality, she said, "Yeah, I am. I'm Anari Tendulkar."

"And were you following me or something?" he asked suspiciously, wondering why a Slytherin would be in the Gryffindor tower.

"Not at all!" she spoke indignantly, her tears immediately forgotten. "Avery sent me. He wanted to talk to you so he sent me to find you." She suddenly gave a small smile. "It's not like I'm his lackey or anything. He threatened that he would give me detention. Now that I think about it, I don't think Prefects can give detention."

"So you've been taken for a fool," Severus smirked, somewhat amused. "Not one with brains are you?"

"What did I see there? Was that a smile or a smirk?" Anari smirked back, happy to have gotten his mind off Lily for the moment. "And I do have brains, thank you very much…It's just that I don't have any common sense. Who needs it anyways?"

Snape laughed as they began to walk back to their own common room. "Obviously you do."

Upon entering the common room, Avery rounded on Severus. "Where were you? We had things to get done."

"Oh, I found him on the school grounds," lied Anari, sensing that his friends did not know about Lily. "I suppose he fancied a night stroll or something."

Fortunately, Avery accepted that answer and did not pursue the matter anymore. Some of Snape's little gang of "Death Eaters" crowded around the two, so Anari was pushed away, but not before giving Snape a reassuring smile and a wave goodnight, which he returned.

The next week went by excruciatingly slow. Students were busy with their last minute cramming for their O.W.L.s. There was no sigh of relief; after taking one O.W.L., they immediately went to study for the ones the next day. Naturally on the last day of exams, the tension disappeared like snow in July.

Almost the entire school was out on the grounds by the lake, lounging in the sun, talking with their friends about their upcoming summer.

"Fairies, now where are they located?" Anari muttered to herself. She vanished behind several stacks of books on her library table. "Nymphs? Sprites? Fairies? What's the bloody difference anyways?!"

"What are you doing here?" a voice asked from behind her, causing her to jump and the person to give a small laugh.

"Oh, it's you," Anari playfully snapped. She was happy to be away from the dusty books. "I could ask you the same question."

"I don't like crowds. And the library is the last place you'll find students after O.W.L.s," Snape stated, sitting down.

"Same here and I have some research to do before summer," she grinned sheepishly. "I don't have these books at home with me, so I suppose I should do it here."

"Oh," Snape replied, staring out the window at the lake. Lily was there.

Anari closed her book abruptly, staring in the same direction. "She seems happier, don't you think?"

There was no reply.

"I heard that Potter has asked her out yet again."

Severus had his hands balled into fists when he heard the name Potter.

"Time is the key in everything, Snape. She'll come around when she realizes that she made a mistake."

"And I'll be here waiting," he spoke up.

There was silence again, Anari had opened her book up again and was taking some notes idly with her green quill.

"Gosh, not one with the best conversational skills, are you?" her voice dipped in sarcasm, trying to get him away from thinking about Lily.

"Just as good as you are in the field of common sense, if I remember correctly," Snape replied coolly.

Anari laughed, which surprised Snape. He was sure she would think of some venomous comeback or ask him to leave, but not so politely. He looked at her for the first time. He never really saw her in the dark that night in the Gryffindor tower. She was of foreign origin. He could tell by her honey colored complexion and curious amethyst eyes. Her glistening dark hair with a slight purple tint was messy; he surmised that she took it out of a bun after exams. The only thing he remembered from the night before was that she was rather short. In less than so many words, she was fairly pretty.

"So what are you doing this summer?" she asked warmly. "Besides making snide remarks?"

"Hmm, I don't really know. Probably not much of anything," Severus replied grimly. He thought of his life back at Spinner's End; he hated going home for the summer. "What about you?"

"Oh, a little of this and a little of that," she offhandedly answered. "In summary, it amounts to nothing," She laughed quietly at her own sad summer. "Hey, maybe we could write each other. If you want to, that is."

"Maybe," he laughed as he wrote his address on a scrap piece of parchment. "I won't have anything else to do. Won't be hanging out with Lily anymore, I take it." There was bitterness in his voice then.

"Who's Lily?" Nott, a boy in Snape's gang of Death Eaters asked, having walked into the library to return a book. Noticing them, he sat down.

"Nobody," Snape said a little too quickly. Nott's eyes narrowed suspiciously, looking from Anari to Snape.

"Come off it, Severus," Anari spoke annoyed. The look on Snape's face was livid. "Lily is my deceased hawk. He was saying that I won't be hanging out with her anymore."

"Oh," Nott was not the sharpest mind ever to step foot at Hogwarts. "So what are you two doing here anyways? And who are you, girl?"

"My name is Anari Tendulkar," the girl said coldly. "And you will not take that tone with me."

"I do what I want," Nott replied, shooting daggers at Anari.

Snape, who did not like where the situation was going, quickly changed the subject. "She was helping me look for a book I wanted to get a curse out of."

Nott's conversation was one of complete boredom. Neither Snape nor Anari could get him to go away, so they eventually obliged to his presence. It was evening when they finally left the library. Nott left a moment earlier than Anari and Snape; she had to pack her bag before leaving.

Snape and Anari were talking all the way to the Great Hall; it was until he bumped into James that he saw him.

"Watch where you're going, Snivellus!" He barked with hatred in his voice. His wand was raised and the mouth was forming a curse when his robes caught on fire.

He was running around the Great Hall before Peter Pettigrew doused him with pumpkin juice. Laughter erupted from the Slytherin table at a very angry James Potter. He would have retaliated if it wasn't for Professor Dumbledore, who entered the hall shortly after.

"Nonverbal spells come in very handy," Anari said airily as they made their way to the Slytherin table.

Severus Snape was immediately impressed. Nonverbal spells were not taught at Hogwarts until the sixth year. Though he knew how to use nonverbal spells, he had never been able to use one with such ease as she did moments ago. Her facial expression hadn't changed from the small smile she had on her face before the incident.

For the rest of the weeks at Hogwarts, Snape and Anari developed a bond of mutual friendship. They could be found in the library, empty classrooms, or even the quidditch pitch practicing and researching various spells. Snape's Death Eater friends had no objection with his absence, since they would be benefiting from his knowledge of spells.

"Wow, another year has gone by," Anari sighed wistfully looking out the compartment window of the Hogwarts Express. "Well, it might not have gone as planned, but we're still alive."

"Are you sure that's such a good thing?" Snape gloomily declared; his eyes fixed on the surroundings outside.

Suddenly the compartment door burst open to find James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew standing at the doorway.


	2. Chapter 2

Suddenly the compartment door burst open to find James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew standing at the doorway. Snape quickly pulled out his wand and glared at them.

"Take it easy, Snivellus," James laughed haughtily. "It's not like we want to be here. Everywhere else is full."

"If I remember correctly, his name is actually Severus," Anari angrily interrupted. They had not noticed her. "But I see that your tiny brain can actually pun on words."

"And who is this?" Sirius piped up, gazing at her interestedly. "Surely she's not Snivellus' girlfriend. She's way too cute."

"Quit it, you guys," Remus shook his head, sitting down opposite Snape. "Can't you for once be civilized?"

"Says the werewolf," Snape spat venomously.

"Severus," Anari glared at all of them. "Don't stoop to their level. It'll make you a pompous jerk, just like them."

"Who are you?" Peter asked quietly. None of them had ever seen her around.

"My name is Anari Tendulkar," she spoke pleasantly, trying to break the tension. "And you'd be better off if you didn't hassle my friend and I on this train ride back to London."

The four Gryffindors look at each other for a moment. Anari and Severus could see that they were seriously contemplating the consequence of not heeding her threat.

"Fine. We won't make trouble if you don't," Sirius finally said with his famous smile that could make almost any girl swoon. Too bad, it did not have that affect on Anari since she had returned to gazing out the window.

"So, Anari, is it?" Remus smiled warmly. "We have some classes together, don't we?"

"Um, I think so," she replied, still staring out the window. "Severus just implied that you're a werewolf. Is that actually true?"

"Ha! He wouldn't know a werewolf if it bit him in the ass," James laughed, not used to repressing his hatred for Snape.

"Nice one, James," Sirius managed to say through his laughter.

"The only reason people make fun of others is because you see something you don't like in yourself in them," she said crossly, not taking her eyes off the surroundings outside. "I think that's why you like to pick on my friend."

"I don't think I see myself as a greasy little git, thank you very much!" James remarked heatedly.

Before anyone could stop it, there was a bellow of "Sectumsempra" and it was as if an invisible knife struck James across his face and arms.

"Severus!" exclaimed Anari with a hint of fright as she pushed her way to James and took out a bottle of essence of dittany. "Please stop!"

She uncorked the bottle and began pouring its contents on the messy haired boy's arm and face then mumbled the word, 'Episky.'

James looked at her incredulously as if she grew two heads. "You could have killed me!"

"Listen here Potter," she began, her tanned complexion immensely pale. "I just saved your pretty boy face from serious scarring. The least you can do is say thank you, leave him alone, and give me another bottle of essence of dittany because I might not be so nice the next time around."

"You're little boyfriend there was the one who started it," Sirius exasperated furiously.

"Severus, let's go find another compartment," Anari snobbishly ignored Sirius' remark and left the compartment after Severus.

They walked until they found a semi empty compartment. It was filled with Narcissa and Bellatrix Black along with their cousin Regulus Black.

"Hey," Regulus smirked. "Who's the girl?"

Both Narcissa and Bellatrix rolled their eyes. It was as if he did this all the time. Snape and Anari sat down opposite each other.

"Gosh," Anari smiled a little. "Why are people asking about me now? I haven't sprouted pink wings on my head or anything. I'm Anari Tendulkar, if you must know. And you are?"

Severus could not help but give a small laugh at her statement. "This is Regulus Black, the younger brother of that prat we were just talking with. And these two are Bellatrix and Narcissa Black."

"Nice to meet you," Anari smiled warmly. "I'm surprised I haven't seen any of you before."

"I'm not," Bellatrix smirked at the girl. She was too soft to be in their Death Eater circle. Bellatrix had seen her around before, but thought nothing of her. She was mundane; Anari had a few acquaintances, outstanding grades, and kept to herself most of the time.

"Oh," replied Anari taken aback at her rudeness. She knew that Slytherins were mostly rude, but she had never been talked to like that by a fellow house mate.

"Don't bother with her," Severus smirked back at Bellatrix rather defiantly. "Bella is sour to everyone now that Rudolphus Lestrange broke up with her yet again."

"Severus," gasped Narcissa. "You shouldn't provoke her!"

"Cissy's right," agreed Regulus amicably. "Never poke a sleeping dragon in the eye."

Anari kept to herself while the three others joked about Bellatrix on the ride to London. She was in her own little world. _Severus __Snape__. At least you actually __talked to him this year. He's still in love with Lily Evans. You know that he won't ever fall out of love with her. He feels the same way about her that you feel about him. It's a never ending circle __Tendulkar__Never ending._

"Come on!" Severus carped, a bit annoyed. "We're gonna be the last ones off the train if you don't hurry up!"

Anari snapped out of her thoughts. "Coming!"

On the platform, Severus and Anari awaited for their parents to come get them after bidding goodbye to the Blacks.

"Nice kids," mused Anari, looking through the crowds of people as she put her trunks on a cart. "Bit into the blood mania, if you ask me."

"Hmm, most of us are," Severus replied sullenly. He was obviously thinking about Lily. "You must have been tired; you were asleep for some time."

"Yeah, healing takes a lot out of a novice," Anari weakly murmured. "It was my first time trying to do it too. It usually worsens the person's condition if the spell doesn't go as planned."

"You should have left that arrogant brat with that scar," Snape said seriously. "It's not like he doesn't deserve it."

"I suppose, but I couldn't. It was wrong," she replied with a pout. "Besides, now they'll have a reason to not pick on me. It's good to have rivals in your debt."

"Isn't that manipulation 101?" asked a smirking Severus.

"I don't know. My father is always talking about that though," the girl wondered out loud.

"Severus!" a stern voice came from behind Anari.

She turned around to see a woman, who looked much like Snape, or who Snape looked like. Anari smiled pleasantly and extended her hand. "I'm Anari Tendulkar."

"Eileen Prince Snape," she replied coolly, shaking her hand. It took her a moment before realizing something. "Surely you're not the daughter of Brian Tendulkar the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement?"

Severus noticed Anari's face become slightly flushed with embarrassment as she nodded silently. Mrs. Snape gave her a warm smile, which look completely out of place on her face.

"Well, it was nice to meet you, Ms. Tendulkar," Mrs. Snape said as she turned to leave.

"Have a nice summer, Anari," Severus murmured quietly before pushing his cart after his mother.

She stood there for a moment; it was the first time Severus had said her name. "Bye Severus! Have a good summer!" she yelled loudly since he had already disappeared in the crowd.

"That's her," she heard a man's voice spoke to another as they advanced upon her. They were dressed in muggle business attire. They looked much like CIA agents.

"Great," she grumbled as one of them took her cart and they began to walk. "Father is busy I take it?"

"Yes," the other man replied curtly. "He doesn't have time for such mundane things, you silly little girl."

Dear Severus,

How are you? How's your summer going? I'm completely bored out of my mind. I could not believe that my summer has been this tiresome. My father thought I needed something to do in my spare time so I had to get a job. I'm working on the Knight Bus. The one for stranded wizards and witches! The driver, Ernie, is completely off his rocker! He can't even drive. Thank god the bus is magic, or else we'd all be dead! I was thinking about stopping by this weekend and seeing if you wanted to go to Diagon Alley or somewhere. What do you think?

Anari


	3. Chapter 3

Severus read the letter carefully a second time. It came by a scrawny brown owl two weeks after their farewell. She had horrid handwriting, though the largeness of the letters made it somewhat legible. _Diagon Alley, huh? Well I don't think it'd hurt. Of course I'll have to ask mother. Father will never let me out, the little git. _

At dinner that night, Severus sat down quietly. "Mother?"

"Yes?" she answered, looking at him. It was a quiet dinner. Tobias was out working late.

"Remember Anari? Tendulkar's daughter?" he asked cautiously, working up to the big question.

"Yeah, Tendulkar's daughter. Very pretty," she remarked after she finished chewing a piece of steak. "What about her?"

"She was wondering if I could go to Diagon Alley with her this weekend. I have to get some stuff from there anyways, so I think it's a good idea."

"I suppose it is. You can go."

Dear Anari,

This weekend sounds good to go to Diagon Alley. I have to get some stuff there anyways. Working on the Knight Bus seems very deadly. You should have some sort of special award for risking your life everyday you work. By the way, you never told me that your father was the head of the most important department at the Ministry. It must be something to live with such an important man. Looking forward to this weekend.

Severus

Anari walked up the end of the street with the same two men who picked her up from King's Cross. She purposefully acted as though they were not there. Instead of striking up a conversation, she took to looking at the small brick house in front of her. It was well taken care of, with the hedges pruned and just behind it, a small garden without a trace of a single weed.

Before walking up to the door, she looked at the two men. "I will not have bodyguards with me at Diagon Alley. I will not allow you to accompany me a step further." There was a certain hint of authority in her voice.

The two men looked at each other. The shorter of the two let out a sigh.

"Ms. Tendulkar, your father will be most displeased if he found out that we were not with you on this trip," the other man explained.

"So, we've come to an arrangement. We'll watch over you using Disillusionment Charms. This way we can make sure you're not in danger and you'll have the appearance of not having guards with you," the shorter man declared somewhat bravely.

Anari arched an eyebrow. "What kind of stupid idea is that? You know what, I don't really want to know. I'll go along with it, as long as you stay ten feet away from me at all times."

The two men nodded before they seemingly vanished disappeared. Anari gave a nervous laugh before subconsciously straightening her summer dress and smoothing out her long raven hair.

_Knock. Knock. _

"Who are you?" asked a mean looking man behind the door as he opened it to reveal a harsh face to suit his persona.

"I am Anari Tendulkar. I'm a friend of Severus. We're supposed to go to Diagon Alley today," the girl explained softly, careful not to upset the man anymore than he seemed to be.

She felt his cold gaze scrutinizing her. In a moment, she began to second guess her choice in clothes. Her shoulders felt so naked in the strapless summer dress. All of a sudden, the teal flowers and shade of green for the leaves on the pattern of the skirt of the dress seemed to gaudy. Even her ballet styled shoes appeared superfluous under his gaze. Inside, she scoffed at even putting the teal ribbon in her hair.

"I am aware of that," the man spoke as if he thought her uneducated. "He'll be here shortly."

Before he finished his sentence, Severus emerged from behind him. He looked, if possible, worse than he did at school. His face was etched in anger, or was it depression, either way, Anari could not tell. The tallish boy was dressed in Muggle clothes also. He wore a white T-shirt and a button up white shirt over it along with a pair of dark blue jeans and sneakers to top it off.

"I'll be home in a couple hours, Father," he told the man, and then walked out of the house humbly.

"Goodbye, Mr. Snape," Anari called back as they headed past the small garden. The stern man had already shut the door, so he did not hear the young woman's attempt at politeness.

"He's a git. Don't worry about him," Severus told her, noticing the wounded look on Anari's face.

The girl gave him a halfhearted smile. "I know how fathers can be. So, what's been up with you? You don't look so good."

"Not much of anything. Mainly potion making, corresponding with Avery and the others on some matters," Severus replied, careful to avoid explaining why he looked under the weather. He looked around expectantly, as if to see something obvious. "How are we going to get there?"

The girl chuckled slightly as she stuck her wand up in the air.

_Bang!_ All of a sudden, a violently purple bus braked loudly in front of them, after appearing out of thin air. The doors opened to reveal an elderly man who wore the thickest glasses Severus had ever seen.

"Good Afternoon, Ernie," Anari greeted the man warmly as they got on the bus and paid the fare.

The man, apparently somewhat deaf, did not hear her. He closed the door and the bus was off in a deafening bang. The conductor for the day was an older boy, around eighteen. He seemed standoffish, so after telling the boy they were going to Diagon Alley, Anari and Severus found armchairs away from the driver and conductor. They sat opposite each other, holding on for dear life as the bus turned and stopped erratically.

"Bet you love this job," Severus stated with a laugh, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Yeah, I really do," replied the girl in the same way. "I'm glad I'm not working today. I swear, I couldn't stand working on this bus a whole straight week."

"I can't believe your father actually makes you work," the teenage boy said almost bitterly, remembering his own father.

"It's ok really," Anari replied cheerily. "He doesn't have time for me, so he wants me to occupy my time. It's no big deal."

Anari, of course, thought it was a big deal. How could her own father make her do labor because he didn't have time for her. She didn't tell this to her friend; her friend seemed to have enough father problems from what she grasped of Tobias Snape.

Suddenly, Anari found herself thrown into Severus' arms. The bus had jerkily turned, causing her to be thrown forward. He wrapped his arms around her instinctively so she would not be harmed.


	4. Chapter 4

"You were right about that award thing for putting my life on the line," Anari laughed trying to hide the soft pink hue that appeared on her tanned cheek. "And sorry about that."

Severus let her go and she promptly returned to her seat. He thought it strange that her body temperature shot up so much when he held her, but dismissed it to be body heat of the two of them combined.

"You know I was being sarcastic about that award thing?" Severus half questioned her curiously.

Her laugh alone meant that she did. The bus stopped one final time in front of the Leaky Cauldron. They both got up shakily and exited, but not before Anari tenderly chastised Ernie Prang.

The Leaky Cauldron was filled with an eclectic collection of witches and wizards. There were murmurs about a dark wizard by the self proclaimed name of Lord Voldermort in hushed conversations. The pub was not as friendly as it once was not too many years ago.

"Do you really think he's as bad as everyone says, Severus?" Anari whispered to the boy as they made their way behind the pub to the entrance of Diagon Alley.

"Who?" was the reply as the archway emerged to reveal a street bustling with many odd people.

"Lord Voldermort."

"I think that in a few years, he'll probably rule the whole wizarding world and who knows, maybe even the muggles."

"Aren't you scared of him?"

"If you join him, there's no need."

"You talk as if you admire him."

"He'll have the power. It's better off than being his enemy."

A frown materialized on Anari's serene face. "I don't want to talk about him anymore, Severus. He makes me depressed."

Severus Snape let out a dry laugh. He looked at her as if seeing her clearly for the first time. She was innocent just like Bellatrix had confirmed in one of her summer letters. Maybe she was too innocent for him to offer his company to. He seemed to be reminded of Lily with her pureness. Only Lily was more forceful, trying to change him, instead of accepting him for who he was. A man wanted to be on the winning side. A man who'd do anything for those he loved. The only one he loved. Anari was different, she was ignorant of every point of view; even her own.

"What are you staring at?" she asked curiously; Severus had been staring at her blankly.

"The ribbon. What's up with the ribbon? And the nice clothes?" he grinned, trying to change the conversation.

She blushed again and muttered something about her father making her dress like that because she was a reflection of him before leading him to the apothecary.

They both bought various potion ingredients with dark looks from the vendor. It seemed like they both bought very intriguing items, perhaps for a forbidden potion.

"Oooh!" exclaimed Anari, her eyes lighting up as she saw the quidditch supply store. "Let's go!"

With a rather sour look, Severus let himself be dragged into the store crowded with mainly teenage boys ogling at brooms and all sorts of sporty things.

"Wow!" she gasped in awe as she looked at the latest broom.

The broom was on red silk in the front window. Its sleek black handle was marked _CleanSweep__ 7_ in a shiny emerald color. The twigs were all shaped perfectly for flying.

"That's got to be the most beautiful thing I've ever laid my eyes on," she breathed softly.

All she got was a snort of repressed sarcasm from her companion. Anari knew that Severus never had any talent for the sport so he took to loathing it. She didn't mind though. Quidditch was like her second life. The feeling of flying in the air was quite liberating. She always looked at the quidditch players for Slytherin with a certain dislike. She was as good as any of them. The only difference was that she was a girl; Slytherins were so old fashioned.

"I know what you mean," a voice whispered in her ear.

She turned around so quickly she almost lost her balance. It was the boy from the train ride back. Regulus Black, or something like that.

Severus saw him and greeted him in a friendly fashion. He obviously did not hear the pass made on his friend. "What are you doing here?"

"Needed to get a new broom for this year. Gotta continue the winning streak," Regulus replied with a smile similar to his brother's, his eyes twinkling. "Hello again, Ms. Tendulkar."

"Hi," she shook his hand briefly as they made their way out of the quidditch shop. "Aren't you gonna get your broom?"

"Already got it. My house elf is taking care of it right now," he smirked as if having a house elf would impress the girl.

"So, Severus, how's your summer going so far, and how come you're with this pretty little thing right now?" he asked with a small laugh. He seemed semi jealous.

"Heh. You know, summer's been boring. Anari wanted to come today and I had nothing better to do," Severus shrugged it off as they walked to a little café.

Moments later, they were sitting together eating ice-cream. The two boys were looking at the girl curiously. She ate in a cute manner, licking the ice-cream as a cat would.

"So cute," Regulus laughed, making the girl blush. "So, guess who's back together again."

"Rudolphus and Bella?" Severus almost sneered.

"How'd you know?"

"You know me. I'm a seer."

The two boys laughed.

"You are?!" Anari blurted out incredulously, nearly spilling her ice-cream cone all over herself.

They laughed again, causing her to give them a small look of indignation before going back to her ice-cream and leaving the boys to talk about their other friends.

"There you are!" a familiar voice rang as it came closer. "I've been looking everywhere for you!"


	5. Chapter 5

"Go away!" Regulus glared at his older brother. "Why can't you leave me alone?!"

"Because Mother says that we have to leave now," explained the older boy. He looked at Severus and Anari. "Hmm, you guys still together?"

"We're not together, idiot!" spat the pale boy with malice. Anari looked taken aback with the hate that Severus showed.

"Wait, you know her?" Regulus asked with the greatest astonishment.

"Yeah, as a matter of fact," Sirius flashed his trademark smile. "She and I had a run in on the train. Good times."

The girl arched an eyebrow and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, you forgot the part where you practically threw us out of the compartment after I saved your pathetic friend."

His eyes flashed in anger for a second. "Well it's not like Snivellus here was perfect."

"Slimy git!" Severus snapped getting up, his wand arm rose equipped with his wand.

With a frightened look, Anari stood up next to him, her hand gently lowering her friend's wand arm. He looked at her strangely; her amethyst eyes echoed worry and fright. She looked at him so pleadingly that he acquiesced without a fight.

"Regulus, I think you should take your brother and leave," Anari told him firmly. "We'll probably be heading back too. And your mother is looking for you."

"Eh, if I have to," Regulus smiled at her as he waved goodbye to his friends. Sirius followed him after glaring at Severus, who could not do anything because Anari was still holding onto his arm.

"So, what do you want to do now?" she asked her friend, letting go of his arm quickly.

"We can always go to Knockturn Alley," he suggested as they headed down the couple steps leading the way into a dark narrow street filled with the most frightening of magic kind.

"I've never been here before," Anari whispered, eyeing a particularly cruel wizard glaring at her. "It looks so scary."

Severus looked unaffected; he always ventured into Knockturn Alley. The unusual witches and wizards never fazed him. They left him alone to his business. He knew that they could practically smell fear and taunted the first timers.

"Aha," he declared coming to a stop, Anari bumping into him quite startled. "This is Borgin & Burkes, one of the most popular shops in Knockturn Alley."

"Welcome Severus," a man greeted with a pained stab at politeness. "It's been a long time; I haven't seen you since last year."

"With school and all, I didn't get a chance to come," he replied, his eyes roaming over the shop.

The man stared at Anari was almost disbelief. Her turquoise ribbon and cheery summer dress seemed outlandish in his establishment.

"Yes?" she asked after noticing the man looking at her. She didn't let it show that the man made her afraid. It was a skill she had acquired because of her father's job.

"Nothing," he answered promptly, his eyes looking at a crystal ball.

"This is Anari Tendulkar. She's a friend of mine," Severus told him and he began to browse through the aisles, closely followed by Anari.

Anari stared at the shelves in nothing but shock. Everything looked so dark and evil. There were various trinkets such as little statues and pendants. Occasionally they would pass by a mirror or a crystal ball. The girl looked at her friend; he seemed to enjoy the exposure to all the gloomy aura of the objects. It was then that she noticed a tiny crystal ball with a silver fairy inside. The crystal ball was hanging on a silver necklace. It entranced her despite the uneasy vibe she felt from it. She reached for it cautiously and grasped it by the crystal ball.

There was a blue flash of light as the young woman collapsed on the floor. Before Severus managed to get to her, two men rushed past him and disapparated with the girl. He was left in the aisle in shock.

"What happened?!" the owner rushed to him. He looked down on the floor to see the miniature crystal ball.

"What is this?!" the young man bellowed, his face paler than usual. "What have you done to her?!"

In a moment, the man was hanging upside down dangling in the air.

"What did you do to her?!"

"I didn't do anything! That necklace is completely harmless to witches and wizards. Its curse only affects other magical beings. I swear! Let me down!"

With a wave of the boy's wand, he left the store.

"She's still the same," Severus heard a girl say to another girl as he walked into the room of the hospital. Saint Mungo's was the best. If anyone could help her, it would be a Saint Mungo's Healer.

For the past month and a half Severus was filled with guilt. If it wasn't for him wanting to go to Knockturn Alley, none of this would have happened. It was his fault. He had to live with this. He thought about Lily, that was his fault too. Everything was his fault. As much as he loved Lily, he was concerned for Anari. She didn't seem to mind him, even though she wasn't a part of his group. She was his only true friend. The one that wouldn't abandon him when something greater came along. She wouldn't save her own skin if he was in need to help. She can't die, she's got to show the wonderful what a wonderful person she was.

"Hey," he heard a boy behind him. It was Regulus. "How is she?"

"She's still the same."

"It's been too long."

"She'll get better," Severus heard another voice. It belonged to Sirius Black. To Severus' dismay, Sirius visited Anari as much as he did.

There was something in the pit of his stomach as he saw the Gryffindor put a bouquet of flowers by her bedside. Severus discarded it as his loathing for Sirius. He shouldn't be here. She didn't even know him. He was just pretending to be a nice guy.

In the time that Severus was there, Anari's father had visited her once every four days. The only thing he did to show that he was concerned was that he arrested the owner of Burgin & Burkes and sent him to Azkaban for selling illegal dark arts objects. Her mother on the other hand, almost never left her side. He noticed that Anari looked a lot like her mother. Her mother was the most beautiful woman that he had ever seen; Veelas looked like grindylows compare to her. She was like perfection personified.

In all the times he visited his friend, he always sat on the bed by her feet. Severus took his place and stared at Anari. She looked dead; her tanned face was pale, her lips blue, and her eyelids were closed, hiding her friendly amethyst eyes.

He never got into a conversation with Anari's other friends. Severus felt like an outsider when they talked to Anari trying to wake her up. He learned a lot about his new friend from the stories her friends told.

"Sev…," a small, weak voice whispered as Anari's eyes fluttered open.


End file.
